Better Together: How Deel Talent + OttoMate Help Companies Scale Global Hiring Faster

Global hiring has evolved far beyond simply finding talent in lower-cost markets. Today, companies are thinking more strategically about how to build distributed teams, expand into new regions, and create scalable global operations.

But while the opportunity to hire internationally has grown, so has the complexity behind it. Businesses are under pressure to move faster, maintain compliance across countries, and create hiring experiences that still feel seamless for both candidates and internal teams.

During Deel's Better Together webinar series, Nick Broughton, General Manager of Deel Talent, spoke with Wendy Liu, co-founder of OttoMate, about how companies today are approaching global hiring differently and why connected hiring infrastructure is becoming increasingly important for scaling internationally.

Here are some key takeaways from the conversation.

Watch the full webinar video.

Takeaway #1: Global hiring strategies are becoming more intentional

According to Wendy, companies are no longer looking at global hiring purely as a cost-saving initiative. Instead, businesses are increasingly thinking about how to intentionally design global teams that support long-term growth, operational efficiency, and international expansion.

“The mindset has shifted from ‘how and where do we outsource?’ to ‘how do we architect and design our global teams intentionally?’” Wendy explained.

That shift is changing how companies evaluate talent partners, hiring infrastructure, and workforce planning strategies. Organizations want more visibility into how teams are structured globally and are looking for solutions that help them scale thoughtfully rather than reactively.

At the same time, companies are becoming more open to using AI-powered hiring tools and integrated workforce platforms to support that growth. “There is a lot of talk about AI, but [it's really about] embracing AI technology tools and new platforms such as Deel Talent,” Wendy said.

As companies take a more intentional approach to building global teams, they also need hiring partners and infrastructure that can support that strategy operationally. That’s exactly where the OttoMate and Deel Talent partnership fits in: OttoMate helps businesses design and scale global hiring plans, while Deel Talent provides the onboarding, compliance, and workforce infrastructure needed to execute those plans seamlessly across markets.

Read: Level-Up Hiring with AI: 7 Playbook Moves to Trial Today

Takeaway #2: Speed, compliance, and transparency are now top priorities

When it comes to hiring internationally, Wendy says three themes consistently come up in conversations with clients.

“One would be speed, because markets now are moving way faster than your traditional hiring cycles, and two would be compliance. And three, transparency.”

Companies no longer want “black box” hiring solutions where they have limited visibility into what’s happening behind the scenes. Instead, organizations want greater clarity around compensation structures, benefits, compliance processes, and onboarding workflows. That need for transparency becomes especially important when hiring across multiple countries where employment laws, tax requirements, and workforce regulations vary significantly.

OttoMate and Deel Talent allow companies to achieve both speed and operational visibility: with OttoMate helping businesses identify and scale international teams faster, and Deel Talent providing the onboarding, compliance, and workforce infrastructure needed to support those hires across markets. Together, this helps companies move quickly on global hiring without losing transparency or control along the way.

Read: Stop Compliance Barriers Holding Back Your Talent Strategy

Takeaway #3: The operational complexity begins after the candidate is selected

Finding the right candidate is only one part of the global hiring process. As Wendy highlighted during the discussion, much of the real operational work starts after a hiring decision has been made.

“Hiring feels like a win,” she said. “But the operational lift starts after the candidate is selected.”

That operational lift often includes contracts, onboarding, benefits setup, payroll, tax compliance, and country-specific legal requirements that companies may not have experience managing internally across multiple markets.

So how do companies move from candidate selection to onboarding without adding more operational friction? Wendy explained that once a candidate is selected through OttoMate, clients are guided through the next steps directly within Deel Talent. Companies can review compensation, approve benefits, manage contracts, and onboard new hires through a centralized workflow designed to simplify the process while maintaining visibility and control.

Rather than coordinating across disconnected vendors and systems, this helps create a more seamless transition from candidate selection to onboarding and workforce setup, reducing friction during one of the most critical stages of the hiring journey.

Find out how to manage international taxes and employee benefits with Deel.

Takeaway #4: Employer of Record (EOR) infrastructure helps companies scale faster

Many organizations today want to expand internationally as quickly as possible, but aren’t ready to establish legal entities in every country where they hire.

That’s where models like Employer of Record (EOR) and Contractor of Record become especially valuable.

According to Wendy, “Companies are no longer exploring global hiring. They’re ready to move now.”

That urgency is exactly why flexible hiring infrastructure has become so important. With OttoMate, businesses can identify and build international teams quickly, then use Deel’s infrastructure to onboard and hire compliantly across countries without requiring companies to establish local entities upfront.

As Wendy explained during the conversation, this allows companies to test new markets, scale globally faster, and expand internationally without adding unnecessary operational complexity behind the scenes.

Curious about EOR? See: What Are the Pros and Cons of Hiring With an Employer of Record (EOR)?

Takeaway #5: Integrated platforms reduce risk and improve visibility

One of the biggest concerns companies face when hiring globally is managing compliance and operational risk across multiple countries, especially when navigating unfamiliar employment laws, tax requirements, and benefits regulations.

As Wendy explained during the conversation, companies want confidence that they’re scaling correctly while still creating a reliable experience for both the business and its employees.

“You want to make sure that your team members are taken care of because they are the most important part of your business,” she said.

That’s one reason more companies are moving away from fragmented hiring workflows and disconnected systems. The OttoMate and Deel Talent partnership helps bring global hiring, onboarding, payroll, compliance, and workforce operations into one connected experience, making it easier for businesses to scale internationally while supporting employees consistently across markets.

See: What’s the Fastest Way to Enter Markets and Hire Globally?

The main takeaway: global hiring needs connected infrastructure

Across the board, companies are rethinking how they scale internationally and looking for ways to hire globally without adding unnecessary operational complexity.

Deel Talent and OttoMate help companies simplify global hiring by combining strategic talent sourcing with the infrastructure needed to onboard, pay, and support international teams quickly and compliantly.

Book a demo to find out more.